


Let's Talk About Love

by mcgarrygirl78



Series: Starting Over [28]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M, Family, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-04
Updated: 2012-10-04
Packaged: 2017-11-15 14:30:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/528303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She wanted her happily ever after and knew that Aaron did as well.  It might just be a fairy tale but everybody deserved at least one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let's Talk About Love

**Author's Note:**

> #898. I was on my way to bed when Jack started talking in my head. I had to get as much of it down as I could.

“One more chapter.” Jack said smiling. He knew Beth could never resist his smile.

“Oh no,” she smiled too. “You already used that smile on me once. No more chapters tonight; its time for bed. You should be tired. We had a long day.”

“I just like it when you read to me.”

“I like it too. We’ll do it again tomorrow. Let’s go down.”

Jack sat up and Beth laid his pillows down. Then he put his head down. It had been a great day in Colonial Williamsburg. Jack ran around and ate all kinds of good food. He watched a trial and saw someone make a bullet. He got to churn butter and make his own sling shot. 

His dad and Beth told him about cool things like maps and flags. Then they had dinner with Beth’s whole family before going back to their room to watch a movie. Jack was hoping to stay up later but bedtime was the usual time. At least tonight Beth read with him. He was reading _The Witches_.

“Do you say your prayers before bed, kiddo?” Beth asked.

“I say my prayers at Aunt Jessie and Uncle Sam’s house. We say now I lay me down to sleep. With my dad I don’t, but sometimes we talk to mom.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well Dad lights a candle and we talk to her in heaven. We ask her to look after us and if we’re having any problems or miss her a whole lot we let her know.”

“Do you want to talk to Mom tonight?”

“I don’t have to.” he shook his head.

“Jack, I never want you to feel like you can't talk with Mom. I know how important it is to always be connected to her. That’s something you'll always have my support with. So if you want to its OK. We can do it together just like you and dad.”

“Well...OK.”

Beth smiled. She grabbed the candle from the bedside table, now she knew why it was there, and lit it. Jack sat up again and held it in his hands.

“Mom, look after me and Dad and Beth. She’s awesome and I really like her and I hope you like her too. We’re having a lot of fun on our trip but school starts again soon. Look after me everyday and maybe help a little when the work is hard. I hope you're cheering for me when I play soccer…Dad says you are. I love you and I miss you. Goodnight. Now you help me blow out the candle Beth; that’s how it works.”

She smiled and they blew it out together. She put the candle back on the table before tucking Jack in.

“Beth?”

“Yes Jack?”

“Are you and my dad gonna get married?” he asked.

“I don't know. There are a lot of things we need to talk about first.”

“Grownup stuff?”

“Yeah, grownup stuff.”

“But you love him right? You love my dad.”

Beth wasn’t sure how to answer. The truth was always good but she remembered Hotch said that to Jack kissing and saying I love you meant marriage. She didn’t want to say the wrong thing. Of course the truth was that sometimes as a parent, even if she wasn’t quite Jack’s, you said the wrong thing. Hoping she didn’t scar him for life, Beth decided to go with her gut.

“I love your dad very much.”

“I knew it.” he smiled.

“You knew it, huh?” she gave his belly a little tickle.

“Yeah. He loves you too. I can tell. He's always strong on the outside but you make him all mushy on the inside. Uncle Dave said that’s love.”

“Well that makes me very happy and mushy too.”

“Do you love me?” Jack asked.

“Oh Jack its impossible not to love you. You’re one of the coolest kids I know. I love you this much.” Beth held her arms apart as far as she could. “It’s time to go to sleep now, OK?”

“OK. I love you too Beth. I didn’t tell my dad yet; I'm glad I could tell you first. Goodnight.”

“I'm glad too.” she kissed his cheek. “Sweet dreams.”

She got up from the bed and walked out of the room. Since he didn’t like to be closed in, Beth left the door half open. She leaned against the wall and sighed. He loved her. That got her right in the gut. 

She would love to be a mother to Jack. He wanted one so much, as any kid his age would. Beth and Hotch just didn’t want to rush. They both knew, even if they hadn't quite said it to each other that this relationship was serious. They wanted to be together and ultimately marry. At least she thought he wanted to marry. 

Aaron Hotchner surely wasn’t the chronic dater type…that much was obvious. And Beth was pretty sure he wasn’t the living in sin type either. The time would come. If it was right then they would get married and have a family. She wanted her happily ever after and knew that Aaron did as well. It might just be a fairy tale but everybody deserved at least one.

Taking a deep breath, Beth went back out to the sitting area. She and Aaron had been sleeping on the pullout bed. It wasn’t so bad, as pullout beds go. He was sitting on the couch enjoying a beer and reading a Stuart Woods novel. She loved when he was relaxed. He didn’t get to do that kind of thing very often so she loved when she got to see it. She could probably stand there and do it all night.

“You're watching me.” he said, not looking up from the page. “You're also thinking very dirty thoughts.”

“Jack and I talked to Mom tonight, Aaron.”

“What?” that got Hotch’s attention. “You did?”

“He wanted to. I suspect you thought he might at some point since the candle was beside the bed.”

“I always have it there…just in case. How did it even come up?” Hotch asked.

“Well after our last chapter I asked if he said prayers before bed. I wanted to make sure we covered all of his nightly rituals.” Beth came and sat beside him on the couch. “He told me no, not at home, but that you guys talked to Mom. So I asked if he wanted to tonight and he said yes.”

“What did he say?”

“He asked her to look out for all three of us. He told her how awesome I was; that was so sweet. And then he asked for her to look after him when school starts. We blew the candle out together.”

“Yeah, that’s what makes it work.”

“I think that’s a really great thing.” Beth said.

“I wish…” Hotch wasn’t sure if he should say he wished they didn’t have to do it. He knew that wishing Haley was still alive didn’t mean he wasn’t in love with Beth. They’d been divorced for two years when she was murdered. If she was here now she’d still be his ex-wife. “He's going to grow out of it soon.”

“He’s never going to forget his mom.” She said. “And I want to make sure that he never thinks that having me here means that he has to. If he gets to a point where he wants to talk to her in his own way or on his own then we, I mean then you go with that. But Haley is always going to be in his heart.”

“I know.” Hotch nodded. It was strange to talk about this but probably a good thing. Haley was going to be a part of this relationship. It was difficult and at times uncomfortable but it was the truth. Beth handled it better than he did sometimes. “Jack said that you were awesome?”

“Yeah.” Beth smiled thinking about it. “He asked me if I loved him.”

“What did you say?”

“I told him the truth. Of course I do. I love you, and I love Jack.” Beth wrapped her arms around his midsection. “I'm getting attached.”

“That’s what happens. Do you not want to get attached?”

“I just don’t want anyone to get hurt. We’re grownups and can handle it. He’s a little boy.”

“That’s why I took my time before I made formal introductions. It’s not as if I'm an expert at all of this but I think that was a good thing. I'm attached, you're attached, and now we know Jack’s attached. That’s good news.”

“No pressure, Aaron. Taking our time is a really good thing. I feel comfortable where we are right now. And knowing that you do as well is important to me.”

“I know.” He stroked her hair and kissed her temple. “I'm glad you tucked in Jack tonight. It was a good experience.”

“It was wonderful. I can admit it made me want to do it all the time.”

“How many times did he ask for another chapter? How many times did you give in?”

“He asked twice and I gave in once. What are you reading?”

“ _Capital Crimes_ ; its getting good. Shall I scare you and tell you the last time I read a book cover to cover?”

“I'm going to say it was during the Clinton Administration.” Beth’s dimples came out to play when she smiled.

“Whoa now, it’s not that bad.” Hotch laughed. “Its close but its not that bad.”

“Then I shouldn’t be disturbing history being made here.”

“You stay right here.” He tilted her chin up and kissed her. Softly at first, Hotch deepened the kiss as he pulled Beth tighter to him. Then he pulled her onto his lap. She straddled him, running her fingers through his hair. Her touch was electric and made Hotch moan. “Mmm,”

“Aaron,” Beth breathed his name as he unbuttoned some of her blouse and kissed her collarbone.

She was intoxicating and Hotch wanted to get drunk off her. Insatiable wasn’t the word he would use but being close to Beth, being intimate…he liked it very much. No man in his right mind would reject her affection. No man in his right mind would repress his. Hotch was back in his right mind.

“What are your plans for the rest of the evening?” he asked, sighing as he put just the right amount of distance between them. It was the best he could do.

“Oh I've got great plans. There's a big slice of key lime cheesecake with graham cracker crust waiting to be devoured. I’ll probably work on a crossword puzzle while doing that. Then I'm going to take a long, hot shower and put on my favorite pair of pajamas. I can't wait.”

“Neither can I.” Hotch kissed her again. “I love your favorite pair of pajamas. Maybe after you do that we can put our heads together and come up with the perfect note to end the day on.”

“We’re incredibly smart.” Beth laughed. “I bet we can. Did you notice if the pullout couch was creaky last night?”

“No, it’s actually pretty firm. I'm sure it can handle a little workout. We have to be quiet though.” He gently placed his finger on her lips. Hotch moaned when Beth slipped it into her mouth.

“I think I can handle it, Agent Hotchner. I haven’t had much practice.”

“Sweetheart, when I'm satisfying you I usually want to hear all about it.”

She leaned closer, breathing in his ear. “Mmm Aaron, Aaron, oh God, right there, don’t stop.” Beth whimpered and smiled when she felt Hotch’s erection come to life. He gripped her hips tighter.

“Jesus.” He whispered. “You are such a bad girl.”

“Cheesecake.”

“What?”

“Cheesecake, crossword puzzle, and shower.” Beth climbed off of his lap. She didn’t want to but it was for the best. “You go back to your book. We’ll meet up later and make it worth the wait.”

Smiling, Hotch took her hand and kissed it. He wanted to pull her back down on the couch and have his way with her. It would be even better if he just let her have her way with him. Yes, Beth definitely needed to have her way with him. Just the thought made him smile even more. Vacation was awesome.

“Now whose thinking dirty thoughts.” Beth said.

“I am.” Hotch raised his hand.

She laughed, slipping out of his grasp and making her way over to the mini-fridge. They were in a junior suite at the Hampton Inn, which was spacious and comfortable. Beth asked Hotch if he wanted an upgrade…a suite with two bedrooms was available. He was quite happy where they were. She got her cheesecake, grabbed a fork, and then gasped when Hotch was back with his arms around her from behind.

“Aaron…”

“I love you.” his lips trailed along the nape of her neck. “I don’t even know if I said that today. I need to say it everyday.”

“I don’t plan on forgetting, I promise. I love you too by the way.”

“You love me enough to let the cheesecake wait?” Hotch asked.

“Oh um…the cheesecake really can't wait.”

“Ouch.” Hotch laughed, kissing her neck again. 

He gave her a squeeze and then went back to the couch. They had plenty of night left, and would sleep in tomorrow if he had his way. He had a great book to distract him for a while. Beth would be in his arms before he knew it. Then he would make them both very happy.

***


End file.
